1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a combination switch having a steering sensor for detecting rotation of a steering wheel of an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, there has been devised a constitution in which a steering sensor is installed to a combination switch as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 111053/1985. The devised steering sensor is a sensor constituted by installing light emitting and receiving elements to a base of the combination switch and installing a sensor board to a cancel cam. The combination switch is constituted by a base installed to a steering column and a direction indicating lever mounted above the base.
Further, a combination switch in recent years, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,847,342 and 6,271,515, is constituted by a switch mounting a rotary connector for an air bag above a base of the combination switch and mounting switch bodies of the combination switch from left and right of the base. Further, a steering sensor is installed on a lower face of the rotary connector and a circuit board constituting an electric circuit of the steering sensor, a housing and a connector for electric connection are arranged on a lower face of a stator housing of the rotary connector.
However, according to the related art steering sensor, the circuit board, the housing and the connector for electric connection are arranged at the lower face of the rotary connector and a side face portion of the base of the combination switch, and therefore, there poses a problem that numbers of circuit boards, connectors and harnesses are increased and portions surrounding the base become large-sized.
The invention is aimed to reduce a number of parts and assembling steps of a steering sensor and achieve a reduction in cost by installing a steering sensor to a switch body of a combination switch mounted to a base.
The invention has been invented in order to resolve the above-described problem of the related art technology and has the following characteristis.
(1) According to the invention, in a combination switch for an automobile mounted to a steering column, comprising a base formed with recesses on left and right sides thereof, switch bodies mounted to the recesses and a steering sensor for detecting a steering angle of a steering wheel, wherein the combination switch includes a rotor rotated along with the steering wheel, the rotor includes a sensor board of the steering sensor, and the switch bodies include a detecting portion for detecting pivotal movement of the sensor board.
(2) In the invention set forth in (1) above, the detecting portion is arranged on a face of the switch bodies on a side of a steering shaft.
(3) In the invention set forth in (1) or (2), the base is mounted with a rotary connector apparatus for electrically connecting the side of the steering wheel and a side of a vehicle body by a flexible flat cable wound in a containing space inside of a housing formed by a rotor housing and a stator housing wherein the rotor is engaged with the rotor housing via the stator housing from a lower side of the base, an upper side portion of the rotor includes an upper side shaft cylindrical portion engaged with a cylindrical portion formed on an axis core side of the rotor housing, a lower side portion of the rotor includes a lower side shaft cylindrical portion and arranged with the sensor board on a lower side of the stator housing of the lower side shat cylindrical portion and a central portion of the rotor is formed with a sliding face brought into sliding contact, with the stator housing.
(4) In the invention as set forth in any of (1), (2) and (3) above, the steering sensor is constituted by electrically connecting the detecting portion to a board included in the switch bodies of the combination switch.
(5) In the invention as set forth in (4) above, the board is mounted with electric parts constituting an electric circuit of the combination switch and parts constituting an electric circuit of the steering sensor.